Love without Fear
by JadeSparrow33
Summary: Oneshot. I heard Rachel Dawes and Jonathan Crane aren't in the sequel. Why? Rated T because the movie was.


Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, this is just something I wrote for fun

Rachel couldn't sleep. She couldn't _believe_ she just got fired from her job. And all because she was connected with Bruce.

The new D.A., Harvey Dent, had no patience for these types of things. He had come from Metropolis to take Carl's place, and didn't want any possible way for corruption to be a part of his new D.A. team. When the tabloid's front page had a picture of her and the richest man in Gotham locking lips, it was all over.

Now what? She had to go to a different city. No one would hire her now. Unless…

She could ask Bruce for help. He would hire her on the spot, or find some one who would. But then she would be indebted to him. She knew he wasn't the kind of guy who would take advantage of her, but she would feel guilty nonetheless. They both knew they could never be together. It just wouldn't work out.

A noise brought her out of her thoughts. It sounded… like her window was opening.

A misshapen silhouette stood on the window sill for a moment, then dropped in noiselessly. Rachel's heart was pounding as she squeaked, "Bruce? Is that you?"

"Does he normally make nighttime visits?" asked the voice from the shadows.

"No." she answered, frantically trying to find the Maglight she always kept by her bed. "Do you?" Wow, that sounded stupid, but it was important to keep the intruder talking, just a little more time…

"Only on important matters." He stayed where he was. "I needed to talk to you, Rachel."

The voice struck a chord with her somewhere. She finally found the flashlight and aimed it at the figure. "All right, who-"

She stopped, too frightened to finish.

"Hello, Rachel." Dr. Jonathan Crane said.

"Don't come any closer." Rachel threatened. She was berating herself for leaving her phone in the kitchen. Maybe she could run for it.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Rachel."

"I don't believe you," Rachel answered. "And it's Miss Dawes to you."

"Come now, we don't need formalities," Crane smiled. "We've known each other for years."

"And I've watched you become more and more corrupt." Rachel said angrily. "I suppose I wasn't surprised when you became a villain yourself."

"Not a villain, Rachel" Crane said. "I was fighting against the corruption, just as you were."

"You were part of it, Crane, and Batman put a stop to it."

"Ah, yes, the Batman," Crane said mockingly. "If anyone is corrupt, it would be him."

"I'm sorry," Rachel said coldly. "I wasn't aware that saving Gotham was a less than honorable activity."

"He's a vigilante, nothing else." Crane said, still smiling. "But," he said, taking a deep breath, "I didn't come to argue politics with you. Rachel," he paused. "I came to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Rachel started. "Why would I care if you were leav-" she was cut off by Crane kissing her hard on the mouth.

She pulled away. "What do you think you're doing?" she yelled.

"Rachel, I love you."

"WHAT?"

"I love you. You are beautiful, smart, strong… for so many years, I wanted something to happen. I wanted you to notice me."

"Crane, we practically see each other every week!"

"You know what I mean, Rachel. I wanted you to admire me, to talk to me when we didn't have business…"

"You were too busy running sick experiments on your patients and making deals with mob bosses."

Crane laughed. "Ah, yes, so you _did_ notice me."

"You tried to kill me!" she said.

"Not on purpose." He said softly. "I released the wrong gas. It was supposed to keep you from running to the police before they were needed. I would never hurt you on purpose."

"What about in the Shades? When you attacked the little boy and me?"

"And you tazered me?" Crane smiled wryly. "I was trying to help you. Remember what I said? 'The only thing to fear is fear itself? I am here to help you?'"

"Oh." Rachel felt terrible. Wait. The man was a criminal! Someone she had fought against most of her career! And wasn't he supposed to be insane now?

"What did Batman do to you? I heard you were locked up in Arkham before the break out."

"He sprayed me with my own fear gas. It-it made me go crazy for awhile. Then… I think my fear sensor overloaded so much-" he took off his glasses. "It doesn't work anymore."

"You're saying you don't feel fear?" Rachel asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"So you can jump off buildings or-"

"I still have my common sense, Rachel." Crane emphasized every syllable. "But now I can do things I have only dreamed of." He drew her into his arms again. She didn't pull back this time.

"Jonathan." the word caught in her throat. She tried again. "Jonathan." What a joy to be calling him that! It felt so… right!

"Yes, Rachel?"

"I- don't know what it was…" she started slowly. "I was always trying to bring you down. I was- obsessed. Any case involving you I grabbed. I didn't know why I cared so much. But- I think it's because I cared- about… you."

She looked up into his eyes. They were so beautiful…

They slowly kissed, not knowing what to say.

"Rachel, run away with me." Crane broke the silence. "There isn't anything for you here."

"What-" she swallowed, her throat dry. "What will we do?"

"Start a new life. Be anywhere but Gotham." Crane said. "Run away from Dent, Wayne, the Batman…"

"Don't you want to take revenge on him?" Rachel asked, almost disappointed.

"Yes." Crane said soberly, putting his glasses back on. "But that takes time and planning. He'll be looking for me, Rachel. I need to leave, but…I want you with me."

Rachel looked around her apartment. Even though it was dark, she knew what she would see. There were law books, contracts, a sensible wardrobe, a bowl of fruit…

And here was a man so different from who she thought she wanted, offering her adventure, a life style poles apart from the one she currently led, and most of all-

Love.

She looked back at him and said

"I'm coming."


End file.
